The passenger's condition is worsening. She began experiencing symptoms yesterday during the flight after being evacuated from the ship. She has been admitted to a specialized hospital that treats infectious diseases.
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One of the five French passengers repatriated by plane yesterday from the Mv Hondius ship has tested positive for Hantavirus, and her condition has worsened overnight. There are a total of 22 contact cases in France. An American citizen has also tested positive, although he is asymptomatic. Today, the Italian Ministry of Health will publish a circular with guidelines on the behaviors to follow.
Key points:
09:16
A French woman tested positive for Hantavirus, symptoms worsened after the return trip.
10:11
Today, the last passengers will disembark.
Yesterday, 94 passengers were evacuated. 58 people remain on board, and 26 will disembark today for repatriation. Among them are some crew members, while the rest will continue the journey to the port of Rotterdam, where disinfection is planned. Departure is scheduled for 7:00 PM, after refueling.
10:09
The Ministry of Health: "No alarm. If the risk increases, we will raise measures."
"The World Health Organization considers the risk to be low, and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) gives us a very low risk in Europe. So, I would say not to cause alarm." If the level of risk increases, "a whole new set of measures will be implemented, and we will increase controls as a matter of maximum precaution." This was stated by Maria Rosaria Campitiello, head of the Department of Prevention, Research, and Health Emergencies at the Ministry of Health, regarding the Hantavirus emergency.
10:07
The French Minister of Health: "It is important to act immediately on Hantavirus."
"It is important to act immediately" to stop the spread of Hantavirus and "break the chains of virus transmission." This was stated by the French Minister of Health, Stéphanie Rist, in an interview this morning on radio France Inter. Rist clarified that this is the meaning of the decree adopted last night by the French government, which allows, in particular, to quarantine people who may be contaminated (currently, 22 people have been identified in France). "By isolating symptomatic cases, we will be able to break this chain of transmission. And this will change things," said virologist Arnaud Fontanet of the Institut Pasteur in Paris, noting that the mortality rate of Hantavirus is "extremely high, between 30 and 50% of infected people die."
09:58
The plane with the Americans will arrive in Nebraska today: they will be taken to a quarantine facility.
The plane carrying the Americans is expected to arrive today in Omaha, Nebraska. They will first be taken to a quarantine facility.
09:46
An American citizen who disembarked from the ship has tested positive.
One of the seventeen American citizens repatriated from the cruise ship affected by Hantavirus has tested positive, but is asymptomatic. This was reported by US officials.
09:19
The risk remains low, a circular from the Ministry is coming.
The alert regarding the risk associated with Hantavirus remains "low." This is confirmed by the Ministry of Health, which is nevertheless preparing a circular for the regions and border offices to provide an overview of the situation and to indicate what to do, also based on the ECDC guidelines, in the event that people show symptoms related to Hantavirus infection. The circular should contain instructions on contact tracing, active surveillance, and possible home isolation.
09:18
22 contact cases in France.
In France, "22 cases of close or indirect contact" have been identified related to Hantavirus infection. This was stated by the Minister of Health of Paris, Stéphanie Rist, to France Inter, after reporting the first case of infection in France.
09:16
A French woman tested positive for Hantavirus, symptoms worsened after the return trip.
A French woman has tested positive for Hantavirus. She is the woman who showed symptoms yesterday during the air journey for her return to France after being evacuated from the Mv Hondius ship. This was announced by the Minister of Health, Stéphanie Rist, confirming that this is the first case of Hantavirus in France. "Her condition worsened overnight," the minister said. "The tests were positive. She has been hospitalized in a specialized infectious disease hospital."